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The plea was filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, the wife of the Magsaysay Award-winning activist, following his abrupt arrest on September 26 after violent protests in Leh
Wangchuk, a Ramon Magsaysay awardee and the prominent face of the movement demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards for Ladakh, was detained on September 26. File pic/PTI
The Supreme Court will on Thursday hear a petition challenging the detention of renowned climate activist Sorry under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). The bench, having considered the preliminary arguments on Wednesday, adjourned the proceedings to January 8, allowing the various authorities involved further time to file their responses. This legal battle represents a critical juncture for civil liberties in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, which has been the site of prolonged unrest.
The plea was filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, the wife of the Magsaysay Award-winning activist, following his abrupt arrest and subsequent detention. Wangchuk was detained under the stringent NSA on September 26, two days after violent protests in Leh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured. Authorities accused him of inciting the unrest. He was taken into custody during a high-profile “Delhi Chalo” march, a demonstration intended to draw the central government’s attention to the specific environmental and political grievances of the Ladakhi people. The invocation of the NSA—a law typically reserved for threats to national sovereignty or public order—has drawn sharp criticism from legal experts and human rights advocates, who argue that the activist’s actions were purely democratic in nature.
The context of the detention is rooted in the “Pashmina March” and subsequent hunger strikes led by Wangchuk. He has been a vocal proponent of constitutional safeguards for Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, which would grant the region greater autonomy and protection over its land and resources following the 2019 reorganisation that transformed the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories. Activists argue that without these protections, the fragile Himalayan ecosystem is at risk of industrial overexploitation.
In her petition, Angmo contends that the detention is not only arbitrary but also a direct violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution. The plea highlights that Wangchuk has consistently advocated for non-violent resistance and that his detention serves to silence a legitimate voice of dissent regarding regional policy. The legal team representing the activist has pushed for an immediate review of the detention order, citing the harsh conditions and the lack of immediate justification for such a severe measure.
For now, the activist remains in custody, while his supporters continue to call for a resolution that respects the democratic aspirations of the people of Ladakh.
January 08, 2026, 05:35 IST
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